hitting the start button and sifting/digging through several sections to launch your program is so archaic. Even today, when using google, you start typing, and it auto fills suggestions, and starts loading results very fast. People love this.

Now look at windows 8. You dont have to hit a start button, you just start typing. so if i wanna launch Microsoft Word, i type "Word" and by the r, it's already showing the icon to launch.

Same with all programs. Try launching a program in windows 7 and do what i just told you on windows 8. It's actually much faster and is the future.Reply

So what your saying is a few clicks of the mouse is worse than several keystrokes and then at least one click of your mouse? For the most part Win8 (and it's variant) adds steps for Laptop/desktop users rather than making it easier. Certainly Win8.1 has improved upon the initial release but it's not really what most would call a step up from Win7.Reply

To be frank I love Windows 7 much much better than Windows 8.1U1. If the LCD is not a touch screen, it is really not necessary to use Windows 8.1U1, which is totally ugly and puts too much junk on your HDD/SSD.Reply

Totally opposite to your claim, Windows 8/8.1 can clear up windows update and software installations better than windows 7. It added more options to clean up the winSxS folder in the DISM.exe command. For example:***Using the /ResetBase switch with the /StartComponentCleanup parameter of DISM.exe on a running version of Windows 8.1 removes all superseded versions of every component in the component store.***Also with Win8.1U1, it has a new feature WIMBoot to save disk space further. Just google for WIMBoot to see for yourself.Reply

That /ResetBase option is AWESOME. It's also automatically run every month or two I believe.

It has kept my Windows 8.1 install size only slightly larger than when I originally installed it. Windows 7 SP1 when first installed is pretty small but after applying all the updates (and there have been a LOT since SP1) it becomes pretty huge, much larger than Windows 8.1Reply

You mean besides the fact that we haven't reviewed the M3800? The M3800 is a bit thinner but has a 15.6" display instead of a 14" display, so it ends up weighing half a pound more. The K1100M GPU ought to be faster, though, would be my guess.Reply

I guess I should have mentioned that I basically pounded on the laptop and didn't have any throttling issues. Yeah, it gets a bit warm, but for running a 100% CPU+GPU workload for more than a day straight it does better than any other Ultrabook I've seen -- and better than other relatively thin laptops as well.Reply

Damn, I have a feeling I'll start seeing other departments at work start getting these... We are an HP shop, and a few departments get "mobile workstations". (Mine is stuck with lowly dual-core, integrated graphics "EliteBook"s...)Reply

I mean benchmarks are great but, as Jarred himself mentioned, subjective reviews are just as important. I'd like to know how it is in day-to-day use, whether the temps are manageable and any speculation on longevity or quality of the components. Come on AT, give me a great review :( Or at least a mini review. Reply

"Our final benchmark is a test of battery life. Here's where HP runs into a bit of trouble, as the default software installation ends up negatively impacting battery life."

Had a similar issue with my Yoga 11S. The preinstalled anti-virus program (McAfee, I think) bogged the machine so badly that it made it nearly unusable. I uninstalled it and let MS Security Essentials take over and it was completely different. I don't know why an AV program would be so resource heavy as to make a machine feel worthless.Reply

Did you notice any temporary (2-10 second) screen burn in during your review? I've had the ZBook 15 since it launched and have it bad. External screen's work just fine but the laptop's 1080p non-dreamcolor display with the K1100M does it daily. We have two in our office and they both do it.Reply

I've noticed a lot of IPS displays seem to have image persistence if left on a static screen for hours. I didn't notice any issues with the ZBook 14, but then I have the screen set to turn off after 10 minutes of inactivity. I learned my lesson that burn-in is a real problem even with modern displays if you leave them active 24/7 with a relatively static image, plus there's always the power consideration.Reply

Thanks, guys! Me and my T420 are watching wistfully at all of the fancy stuff coming out. I think I'm going to wait for broadwell to pick up a new consumer PC, and my work laptop isn't due for upgrade for another year so... Haswell sucks :P Reply

I can wait a little while for the Surface 3 review, provided it is as thorough as an iDevice review. If we've waited a month to get a 2 pager, then I might share your disappointment.

The only thing I can think that may be causing the delay is that preview Surface 3s had some power management and pen bugs that MS promised to address, and Surface 3 just saw a significant Firmware update this week. Technically speaking, the retail Surface 3 just became officially available, so I'm willing to wait for the actual OOBE review.Reply

So I ended up having the SP3 in my hand, BEFORE reading *any* worthwhile review. It is downright absurd.... The power management issue is with connected stay, and shouldn't affect the battery test at all. I think anand just doesn't care too much for any non-apple products nowadays.Reply

ASUS has the UX302, Acer has had a couple versions of the M5 and now the V7-482PG -- I'm not sure if the V7 is technically an Ultrabook, but close enough. Lenovo also has the U430/U430P that I believe qualifies as an Ultrabook. There are some other "close enough" options including the ASUS UX51VZ, Razer Blade 14 (and the Pro), Gigabyte P34G/U24F, and I think Sony might have something with a dGPU as well. We could also toss in a few AMD-based offerings with APUs that can at least handle moderate gaming, but they're not generally as fast as discrete GPUs.

Of the above, I'd say probably the Acer V7-482PG wins my pick for a current gaming Ultrabook. Dell's XPS 15 and the Razer Blade 14 are in the mix as well, if you don't mind going larger than 14", and the Blade 14 is clearly going to be faster than the others. Personally, I wish Razer had used a Maxwell 860M instead of the Kepler 870M, but whatever.Reply

This is very nice, thank you.My main problem I guess is buying a computer for around/over $1000 which has a last generation graphics card though I have no idea if Acer is ever going to update to the 800 series. Would you know anything about this?

I would also point out that the current gen Lenovo U4XX no longer have dGPU and that Sony no longer has anything with a dGPU (if only the Vaio Z were still around).The Blade and P34Gv2 are amazing though with prices to match. Reply

If the AMD A10 PRO - 7350B and others in this range had the graphics branded fire pro (will relevant features unlocked), I'd be interested to see if HP or Lenovo (or Dell if they ever made an AMD based system again) launched any entry level AMD based workstation laptop, at a fraction of the cost, as GPU features (granted not memory bandwidth) would be in-line with what is in this workstation, and i imagine the AMD A10 PRO - 7350B would be less expensive that the AMD FirePro M1400 (granted have not checked) Reply

I kid though, honestly the only difference would be in the drivers for the GPU since the hardware is literally identical, maybe the "pro" is better binned and has slightly less leakage and slightly better thermals? I would be curious to see how much of a premium they would charge for the "pro" over the FX-7500. I'm really looking forward to those benchies, it should perform about like an A10-4600M on the CPU side, maybe a bit faster thanks to steamroller. Graphically I honestly dont know, different architectures and such with GCN being much more efficient, but the VLIW4 based GPU in the A10 has a 132 MHZ max boost advantage. Either way, bringing the performance of an older 35 watt chip down to 19 watts is pretty nice. We will see how those ULV I3's and I5's fare in comparison.

We actually asked AMD if the Pro APUs would have any OpenGL enhanced drivers, and the answer is sadly, "No, they will not." Maybe AMD will pursue that with a future part, but honestly: professional OpenGL drivers are a huge upsell on pricing, and the last thing AMD/NVIDIA want to do is to give people a $100 part that kills the sale of a $500+ part. I'd love to see some other competitor disrupt the industry, but so far it hasn't happened. Intel might be our best bet, as they have no existing market in professional graphics to protect, but first they need to create hardware that can handle the task.Reply

shame then, as I can see (at least in the UK) the only FX/A10 APU, in cheap, laptops with 768p screens, 5400 rpm HDD and slow ram so the APU's graphics are hampered, and the pro line in entry level systems sold to the business market with similar specs

would be good to see an FX APU with 2333MHz Ram, a SSD and a Matt 1080p (or better screen), probably enough power to work and play (granted with details turned down) Reply

If there will not be the enhanced OpenGl drivers for the A Pro series, Perhaps someone at AMD may realise they can release a Opteron APU with similar specs to the current FX/A10/Pro line, with OpenGl enhanced drivers, charge a lot more (than current APU pricng) and still provide a competitive entry level workstation chip much cheaper than an intel CPU + AMD/Nvidia entry level dgpuReply

We had to fight with our HP Rep in the beginning to get Win7 on these from the factory, but now that is the normal config and I have never once ordered one with Win8.

I like the trackpad on these. It if leagues better than the clickpads on the lenovo thinkpads and macbooks. Personally i find clickpads to be horrible and have had users complain about them. Never had a user complain about a trackpad. And the size is perfect. I would not ask for any more space to be consumed by the trackpad.

As noted, the screen here is great, but i will say the default screen is horrible. the bad resolution makes it unusable

One huge complaint that nueters this laptops functionality as a business laptop is the lack of a 10-key. Half our workforce will not accept these as they lack a 10 key and any data input professional has a legit business need for one integrated. This is a huge oversight by HP in my opinion.

We prefer to buy the 8560p and 8570w over this laptop. As they have 10 key and they have a better build quality. That being said, these laptops are still tough. I have some with dents but never had one break due to physical damage. Heat is not an issue when it is on a desk or docked. Though running autocad on your lap will get it on the hot side.

Jarred, i must say lines like " But then I'm not a workstation user;" only serve to make me ask myself why are you reviewing this in the first place? Workstation users rely on their laptop to do work that a cell phone cant. 4 pounds is light when you consider how much this is doing for you. Reply

The reality of true workstation users is that they tend to earn enough that they don't write as tech journalists. Hahaha... But seriously, I mention that I'm not a workstation user mostly to make it clear that I can't really dig into every facet of the laptop, and personally I have other laptops I would take over the ZBook 14. I don't need Quadro or FirePro GPUs, and in fact I don't even want them -- they cost more and run slower at the sort of consumer tasks (games) I'd use them to run.

No true workstation users would even consider a Razer Blade as an alternative... but I would. Workstation users also tend to know what specific programs they're going to run. Just because you use a workstation doesn't mean you run Pro/E or one of the Siemens apps. And if you happen to use Photoshop or Premiere (which used to be "workstation applications"), as far as I'm aware they no longer even benefit from the presence of a professional dGPU.

As for the 10-key aspect, cramming a 10-key into a 14" chassis would be a terrible idea IMO. There's just not enough room for it, so you'd end up having to shrink all of the other keys to make it fit. There are plenty of mobile workstation options for people that need a 10-key, and they're all 15" or larger for a reason. I'm not sure I've ever even heard of a 14" or smaller laptop with a dedicated 10-key.

Ultimately, this is really pretty easy though: workstation users know what apps they will actually run, and hopefully the data provided here is enough to help them make an informed decision. (If not, let me know what else you'd suggest running. Keep in mind that I don't even know how to use a lot of the professional applications, which is why things like SPECviewperf are used.) And if they really want a light mobile workstation but they require a 10-key, they'll need to either compromise on the size/weight or determine to give up a dedicated 10-key while on the road (i.e. plug in a keyboard at the office).Reply

Jared, it would be helpful to show images of the service panel. For a shop with IT personnel (or technically competent staff) on hand, this is indispensable.

We've purchased a handful of these for the office.

We required1) A high HD display2) Light/ultrabook class 14"3) Min. 5+hrs battery life running excel/word proc/internet4) Ability to hit min 16GB of RAM5) Ability to take punishment (you should see the dings one has received in its first week! Still runs great though!)6) End user serviceability.7) A myriad of ports (especially VGA without DVI adapter)8) Docking station compatible with 2 DVI outs (an older Sony failed in this department.)

We originally had a couple of Lenovo X1 and X1 carbons floating around, and I've been an avid T series user myself.

Two things, however, made us move away from IBM:- Soldering DIMMs to the motherboard, and limiting the ultra-book form factors to 12GB.- To much work to service. Seriously.

We've already had two X1 batteries die right after the service contract was up (a 3rd went, but was still covered), and servicing those things was a nightmare. Between the screws and man hours . . . not worth the trouble.

And upgrades? The oldest X1 Carbon has 4GB of RAM. Great for the first few years, but while its CPU and SSD are quite serviceable, the RAM limitation became a major liability.

I can't begin to tell you how easy it is to service these HP's.The docking station has been flawless, they look "professional" (staff members are VERY picky and refused to use Dell).

I'm in a difficult environment where the applications are memory intensive (large excel models), the unit has to be durable, a jack of all trades, and easily serviceable. These fit the bill and I'm moving to standardize on these units.

I don't buy from HP directly, we're low volume and better deals can be had elsewhere. The upgraded screen is worth it. If you don't start with an SSD, I recommended you get one eventually. Fortunately these take standard height units as well as an additional M2Reply